LASTMA Nabs One-Chance Syndicate Operating With Commercial Bus

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Tuesday, apprehended a notorious One-Chance syndicate that employed a painted commercial bus (KSF 56 XL) to rob unsuspecting passengers of their valuables.

According to a statement, the arrest transpired near a Conoil filling station along Funsho Williams Avenue in Surulere, Lagos, following an incident involving a female passenger, Miss Bibian Emelifonwu, who fell victim to the syndicate’s treachery while en route to work this morning.

Recounting her ordeal, Miss Emelifonwu disclosed that she boarded the bus and sat beside a male passenger holding a nylon bag in the front seat next to the driver. Under the pretext of opening the front door beside her, the man surreptitiously leaned on her and deftly removed her phone from her bag.

Having successfully executed the theft, the criminals heartlessly ejected her from the moving vehicle onto the highway. Fortunately, a vigilant team of LASTMA officers overseeing traffic in the area witnessed the incident. They swiftly pursued the fleeing bus, ultimately apprehending the driver, identified as Mr. Toyib Ogunjobi, while his accomplices—the conductor and another passenger—managed to escape.

During interrogation, Ogunjobi admitted to leading a three-man syndicate, which included the owner of the bus. He revealed that their modus operandi involved enticing passengers with low fares on the Costain-Ojota route, stealing their belongings, and forcibly ejecting them from the vehicle while in motion.

Ogunjobi further confessed that the syndicate generated between ₦250,000 and ₦300,000 daily by selling stolen phones and valuables. He also disclosed that similar One-Chance operations are proliferating across Lagos State, illustrating the pervasive nature of this criminal enterprise.

Seven stolen phones, comprising models such as Techno Pop, Samsung AZZ, Intel A623, Techno Spark, Techno Pounoir, and Samsung devices, were recovered from Ogunjobi during his arrest. He also admitted that the vehicle’s owner was actively involved in the operation.